The Gargoyles and Cannons of Craigievar Castle

The flamboyant tower-house of Craigievar has been a striking feature of the Aberdeenshire landscape for nearly 400 years. Built in 1626 for the Aberdonian merchant William Forbes – known as ‘Danzig Willie’ because of his extensive Baltic trading connections – much of Craigievar’s structure is believed to have been the work of the famous master mason John Bel.

Over the centuries, the thirty-seven decorative stone cannons and nine waterspouts which once bristled from the upper reaches of the tower-house were lost to damage and decay. In 2009 a project was undertaken to reinstate the carvings, involving skilled stone masons working from the drawings of RCAHMS surveyor John Borland. With the completed sculptures now a key feature of the stunning, restored exterior of Craigievar, this highly-illustrated guide uses photographs and drawings to examine their intricate designs and fascinating iconography in fine detail.

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